Tag Archives: Waterproofing

What is Waterproofing?

Waterproofing in building construction is the procedure of making a structure water-resistant or impervious to the ingress of water. Waterproofing is vital as it prevents water from permeating structures and helps to keep the interior areas dry. It assists in lowering the humidity inside the building, reducing the damage done to furniture and alike.

In locations that experience high annual rains and occasional flooding events, water proofing is a must. It is very important for basements and structures to be water resistant especially in locations where the ground water table is high. In the case of high water table, water in the soil is likely to apply hydrostatic pressure on the basement floor and walls. This can force the water through the fractures, which can result in structural damages along with moisture-related issues such as mold, mildew and decay.

Throughout monsoons, all of us would have come across water seepages in the ceilings and walls or wetness in the after-effects of flooding. This is because of bad waterproofing By waterproofing your house, you can secure your structure from damage in addition to the important things inside your house from humidity and water exposure.

Advantages of waterproofing.

Safeguards the structural stability of the building
Prevents mold, mildew and decay
Avoids metals from rusting and wooden furnishings from decay
Prevents seepages from the ceiling and walls
Avoids dampness inside the building
Residential or commercial property value increases Home worth

Unhealthy living areas and a weak structure can significantly decrease the residential or commercial property value. Waterproofing increases the resale value of a building, which is perhaps among the biggest benefits. Investors/buyers barely even consider homes without waterproofing. Several homeowners live in houses with damp and leaking basements, often fearing the expense of waterproofing. Getting this essential workout done with brings noteworthy rate of return. A waterproofed basement increases the utilizable square video in a home, all at once ruling out the possibility of a looming structural failure.

Waterproofing Methods & Techniques

Brick Bat Coba Method

RCC slabs often establish cracks, which allows for a passage of rainwater. It is therefore important to develop water-proof roofing system pieces, which can offer leak-proof environment to the interiors of the building. This approach needs a roof surface slope for quick drain and sealing of all cracks and joints. Flat type roofing with RRC is used in environments with moderate to low rains. Coba treatment can be carried out directly on RCC or stone pieces.

Brick Bat Coba

The surface area of the roofing system slab need to be cleaned and washed with water before laying the very first course

This cement mortar is spread on top of the thin slurry layer to acquire a 20mm thick cement mortar layer.

Brick bats are placed in the 20mm cement mortar layer to create a 100-150 mm brick bat later on layer.

The cement sand mortar is then utilized for grouting the formerly laid brick bat layer. All spaces and joints are filled. Guarantee a smooth slope surface area over the brick bat layer.
Newly prepared plastic cement sand mortar is further spread on the grouted brick bat layer.

The grouted surface area is allowed to treat for 2-3 days to avoid surface area cracks.
Another cement sand mortar is ready (1 part cement, 5 part sand) with 1-2% very seal powder. Water is included till the mixture corresponds.

20mm thick layer of this mortar is spread over the brick bat mortar layer.
A trowel is utilized for completing. Square markings can be made by string or trowel. This is to avoid surface cracking due to growth or contraction in action to temperature change.

Curing is continued for 2 weeks.

Water-proofing Membranes.

A water-proof membrane is a thin layer of water tight material that is laid over the surface. Stagnated water is likely to seep into the structural slab overtime. In flat roofed balcony, the membrane is laid over a filler material that is sloped to ensure that water is receded by drainage pipes.

Sheet Based Membranes.

Sheet based membranes can be found in the kind of rolls. These are unrolled and laid on the firm surface area. One of the most common sheet based membrane is the bituminous waterproofing membrane.

Liquid Applied Waterproofing Membranes.

These are the kind of membranes that come in the form of liquid that can be sprayed or brushed onto the surface. By spraying, the liquid types a monolithic membrane, without any laps, welds or seams.

Polyurethane Waterproofing Treatment.

Polyurethane is made up of two parts, base and reactor. Polyol serves as the base, while isocyanide is the reactor component. The mix of both these in a specific design ratio creates a liquid finish for waterproofing applications. Polyurethane is a rather popular choice due to its ease of installation.

Waterstops.

Concrete joints are most responsible to seepage. Waterstops are components of a concrete structure that prevent the passage of water through concrete joints. They are created as fluid tight diaphragm embedded in or running along the joints.

Basement Waterproofing.

Apart from all these methods explained here, basement waterproofing demands proficient and skilled treatments. You can read more on basement waterproofing here.